Hot Pimento Cheese Dip

Photo from Homemade
Hooplah

It's Sunday dinner time, and the Braspirs are hosting this week's gathering! I volunteered to bring an appetizer, and with pulled pork on the menu, my brain immediately went SOUTHERN. Naturally, that led me straight to biscuits and gravy. Delicious? Absolutely. Appropriate appetizer? Not so much. 

Time to consult the appetizer recipe collection! That's when I stumbled across this pimento cheese dip, and I knew I'd found my winner. It's got that Southern charm, requires very little effort, and seemed like the kind of thing people would happily dig into before dinner.

There's really not much to this recipe. The only advance planning required is remembering to take the cream cheese out of the fridge so it can soften. Then you'll want to give yourself enough time to pop the dip in the oven before everyone arrives. That's about as complicated as it gets!

I did make one little adjustment. The recipe calls for pepper jack cheese, but since we had someone coming who is sensitive to spicy foods, I swapped it out for Monterey Jack instead. It worked perfectly, and nobody missed the extra kick.

Easy to throw together, packed with flavor, and a crowd-pleaser to boot! This Southern-inspired appetizer was a hit, and I'm calling that a successful Sunday dinner contribution. Now, if only biscuits and gravy could figure out how to become an appetizer...

Hot Pimento Cheese Dip

Recipe from Homemade Hooplah

Serves 6

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 pinch salt, to taste
• 1 pinch black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced pimentos, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside.

Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer + large bowl), whip mayonnaise, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ground mustard, salt, and pepper on medium-high speed until mostly smooth, about 3-5 minutes.

Remove bowl from mixer and add cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, pimentos, and green onion to bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared baking dish and gently smooth out top so that it's flat.

Bake dip for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve as desired.

Chili Lime Cube Steak

Photo from Cupcakes and
Kale Chips

My least favorite thing in the recipe world is when a recipe sounds absolutely amazing and then completely fails to live up to its own hype. You know the feeling—you read the ingredients, see the photo, and immediately start planning how delicious dinner is going to be. That was me with this recipe.

Beef, lime, and chili sauce? Come on. How could that possibly go wrong? Apparently, quite easily. Because in the end, it was just…meh.

I did run into a couple of issues along the way.

First, recipes that say something vague like “juice of 2 limes” drive me a little crazy. Limes are not standardized little citrus robots. Some barely have enough juice to fill a teaspoon, while others apparently spent the night hydrating for a marathon. The two I had were the latter. They were ridiculously juicy, and all that extra lime juice made the sauce MUCH more lime-forward than I think it was supposed to be. And I like lime. A lot. But apparently there is, in fact, a point where even I say, “Okay, we get it, lime.”

Then there was the chili paste. TWO tablespoons? That seemed…ambitious. I like spicy food, but I knew two tablespoons was going to be a little beyond my personal comfort zone. I cut it down to one tablespoon, and even that packed a decent punch.

So here's what I learned from this adventure: maybe recipes should give us a ballpark measurement for lime juice instead of leaving us at the mercy of whatever citrus lottery we happened to win at the grocery store. And when it comes to spice, start conservatively. You can always add more. You cannot un-add two tablespoons of chili paste once they're in the bowl.

The recipe had a lot of potential. It just didn't quite get there for me this time.

Chili Lime Cube Steak

Recipe from Cupcakesandkalechips.com

Serves 4

• 2 limes , zested and juiced
• 2 Tablespoons chili paste such as sambal oelek
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1-1 1/4 lbs. cube steaks (4 steaks about 4-5 oz. each)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• lime slices, cilantro, and sliced scallions for garnish, if desired

Zest and juice 2 limes, and in a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and zest, 2 Tablespoons chili paste, and 1 Tablespoon honey. Set aside.

Season both sides of 1-1 1/4 lbs. cube steaks (about 4 steaks) with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.

Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.

Carefully place steaks in the pan. Depending on the size of your pan and steak, you may need to do this in two batches. Sear for about 3-4 minutes, or until browned, then flip over and sear the other side for another 3-4 minutes.

If you seared the steaks in batches, return all steaks to the pan and pour the chili-lime sauce over the steaks. Let reduce and thicken for a minute or two, turning the steaks to coat them completely in the sauce.

Remove from the pan and serve immediately. Garnish with additional lime slices, cilantro, and sliced scallions, if desired.

Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni

I’m pretty sure every twenty-something survived on Hamburger Helper at some point. I certainly did. Back in the day, you could catch those boxes on sale for something ridiculous like three for $5, and that was basically a meal plan. They were cheap, easy, and honestly, some of them were pretty darn good.

A couple of years ago, nostalgia got the better of me and I bought a box of Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper. I was expecting a little trip down memory lane. Instead, I got something that was...not good. I couldn’t even finish it. Maybe they changed the recipe, or maybe my taste buds have simply evolved. Either way, the boxed version was no longer doing it for me.

Not long after that, I came across recipes that promised to recreate that same nostalgic Hamburger Helper flavor without actually using the box. Exactly what I was looking for. There were several versions floating around, but this one caught my attention because it was simple and seemed like it had the best chance of getting me back to that flavor I remembered.

And honestly, there was nothing wrong with it. It came together quickly, cooked exactly as directed, and delivered what it promised. I did have to leave mine uncovered while it cooked because my flat-top stove and I have an ongoing disagreement about maintaining a consistent temperature. 

My biggest recommendation is to taste it for seasoning after the cheese goes in, not just before. I had been tasting it along the way to see if the pasta was cooked and thought the seasoning was fine. I figured adding the cheese would bring a little extra saltiness with it.

It didn't.

It wasn't terribly under-seasoned, but it definitely needed a little more salt for my taste. So don't make my mistake—give it one last taste before you serve it.

The one ingredient that really made me scratch my head was the sugar. I couldn't figure out what it was bringing to the party. The dish certainly didn't seem to need it, and if I make this again, I'll be leaving it out.

Overall, this was a pretty successful attempt at recreating the Hamburger Helper of my younger years—just a little better and without having to open a box. And that's exactly the kind of nostalgia I was looking for.

Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni

Recipe from Spend with Pennies

Serves 4

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ cup finely diced onion or 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 cups milk
• 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ¾ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, garlic powder, sugar, salt, paprika, and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef and onion, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.

Add milk, broth, and uncooked elbow macaroni to the beef. Stir the cornstarch and spice mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle boil, cover and cook for 9-12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through, stirring occasionally. If needed, add more broth or water.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Serve hot.

Pork Chops & Potatoes Casserole

Having a gluten-free BFF has definitely made me more educated about gluten over the years. I’m pretty good at knowing where it likes to hide and usually manage to avoid the obvious traps. But every now and then, gluten sneaks into the party uninvited and completely messes up my plans.

This casserole called for cream of mushroom soup, so I already knew I had a gluten issue to solve. Fortunately, Instagram had recently introduced me to a company that makes a gluten-free mushroom soup mix. Perfect! I ordered it, stuck it in the pantry, and waited for the right recipe to come along.

Well...the right recipe finally came along, and that mushroom soup mix was terrible.

The mix is supposed to be simple—you add milk or water to half a cup of the mix and, poof, you have cream of mushroom soup. Except what I had was something that tasted like soap. Not “hmm, this needs a little something.” Not “maybe it will taste better in the casserole.” Nope. Straight-up soap. It was so bad I couldn't, in good conscience, put it into the casserole.

I went into fix-it mode. I tried adding Worcestershire sauce and a few seasonings, hoping I could rescue it. No such luck. It was still awful.

So I started digging through the pantry to see what else I could use. That's when I spotted a can of Campbell’s French Onion Soup. It was broth-based, which made it seem like a reasonable substitute. I mixed it with a little sour cream and thought, BAM! We have a replacement!

Except...no.

Because it turns out Campbell’s is apparently not my friend when it comes to gluten. So much for my brilliant backup plan.

My BFF still ate the casserole—gluten is a preference issue for her rather than a medical one—and she did her best to scrape off as much of the sauce as possible. She's always a good sport about my kitchen experiments. I even offered to order her a pizza, but she assured me she'd be fine.

As for the casserole itself, I actually think my little pantry substitution worked really well for those of us who can eat gluten. It came together easily and tasted great. I definitely want to make this again sometime, but next time I'll follow the recipe as written and see what I think of the original version.

And there’s your cooking lesson for the day: sometimes you have to pivot.

Recipes are great, but ingredients don't always cooperate. Sometimes something isn't available, sometimes you discover an ingredient doesn't work, and sometimes you realize halfway through that the thing you grabbed from the pantry was a terrible idea. That's when you have to stop, look around, and figure out what you do have that might work.

Google is surprisingly helpful for this. In this case, it pointed me toward using sour cream with some sort of broth, which at least got me moving in the right direction.

So don't be afraid to color outside the recipe lines. Sometimes the best cooking happens when you have to improvise.

Pork Chops & Potatoes Casserole

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Serves 6

• 6 md potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick
• 2 md sweet onions, sliced 1/4 " thick
• pinch salt & pepper to taste
• 2 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 can cream, divided (soup can)
• 6 pork chops
• a few pinch house seasoning blend or similar (see below)
• dash smoked paprika

FOR HOUSE SEASONING, combine:

• 1 tsp dried sage, crushed/ground
• 1/2 tsp finely minced/ground dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed/ground
• 4 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use butter to grease a 9"x13" casserole dish; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix to combine contents of two cans of cream of mushroom soup and half of the cream (1/4 can.)

Place sliced potatoes in an even layer in prepared casserole dish.

Scatter sliced onions over potatoes, then drizzle with remaining cream. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Lightly season each side of pork chops with house seasoning blend; place chops in a single layer on top of the potatoes and onions.

Spread soup mixture evenly over all, then lightly sprinkle with a little smoked paprika.

Cover with foil. Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for one hour, then remove foil and bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes (40 minutes in my oven.)

FOR HOUSE SEASONING, combine:

Store in a small, lidded jar or air-tight container. Shake before using.

Autumn Chopped Salad

Photo from Life In
the Loft House

It’s fall, y’all! And if you know me, you know fall is my favorite season. Part of the reason? SOUP AND STEW SEASON. But fall also brings all those salads that somehow just feel more appropriate once the temperatures start dropping.

Of course, I make salads like this year-round. But there’s something about the flavors of a fall salad that just hits differently in October.

Last night was Vines & Spines book club, and I was the hostess. Our setup is pretty perfect: whoever hosts is responsible for the main dish and sides, while the other two bring an appetizer and dessert. Since I’m someone who genuinely enjoys making an entire meal, this arrangement works out very nicely for me.

For the side, I decided on this fall salad to go with the main course—a Pork Chop and Potatoes Casserole. You can read all about that one here.

I did make one BIG change to the salad recipe. The original calls for using a bottle of store-bought poppy seed dressing. Nope. I decided to make my own instead, and I’m very glad I did. It’s incredibly easy to whip together and, in my opinion, tastes so much better than the bottled stuff.

The poppy seed dressing recipe came from Sherrie’s Kick Ass Salad. I did make one little adjustment there too, swapping the regular sugar for a low-carb sugar alternative.

And that’s really all I have to say about this one: make this salad. It’s fresh, crunchy, a little sweet, and completely at home on a fall dinner table.

You won’t regret it.

Autumn Chopped Salad

Recipe from Life in the Lofthouse

Serves 4

• 8 c chopped Romaine lettuce
• 2 c Spring Mix lettuce
• 2 small Red delicious or Gala apples sliced thin
• 1 c dried cranberries
• 1 c chopped candied pecans
• 8 slices bacon crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 4 ounces Feta cheese crumbled
• bottle of poppy seed dressing OR make the dressing below.

DRESSING

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 c red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

In a large bowl, add chopped romaine lettuce, Spring Mix lettuce, apples, cranberries, pecans, bacon and Feta cheese. Toss well to combine.

If you're making the dressing, have that already made by mixing all the ingredients together. You'll most likely have more dressing than you need. 

Divide salad among individual salad bowls. Top with desired amount of creamy poppy seed dressing. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Yakitori

I’ve never ordered yakitori at a restaurant, so my entire experience with it comes from making it at home. I’ve made it a handful of times now, and somehow, every version has been a little different. Mostly because I have a habit of looking at a recipe and then deciding I’m going to make it my own. 

I made two changes to this recipe. Or, if we’re being completely honest, two things I did “wrong.”

First, the recipe called for cooking the sauce before adding the chicken. I didn’t feel like doing that. There was a perfectly good sauce sitting there, and I saw no reason to dirty another pan just to cook it first. So I tossed the chicken right in.

Second, and this should surprise absolutely no one, I did not broil the chicken. I grilled it. Because if I have the option to put something on the grill, that is almost always what I’m going to do. Grilled it, baby!

This is a really good recipe. The marinade has all those flavors I love in an Asian-inspired dish, with that combination of salty, sweet and savory that makes you keep going back for another bite.

I didn’t have sake, but I did have some Chinese cooking wine, so I made the substitution and called it good. The mirin was probably my favorite part. You don’t take a bite and immediately think, “Oh, there’s mirin!” It’s much more subtle than that. But it adds something to the overall flavor that you definitely notice.

So once again, I may not have followed the recipe exactly as written. But I’m starting to think that’s just part of my cooking process.

Chicken Yakitori

Recipe from The Mom 100

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin see Note
• 2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 8 scallions cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds optional; see Cooking Tip

Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Place 16 6-inch wooden skewers or 8 12-inch wooden skewers in a rimmed pan with water to cover and let soak for at least 20 minutes, and up to a day.

In a small saucepan combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, oil, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 3 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. (If you are planning to marinate the chicken, let the sauce cool before the next step.)

Place the chicken in a bowl, pour over the pot of sauce and toss so that the chicken is evenly coated. Add the scallions and toss again (at this point you can marinate it for up to 8 hours).

Thread the chicken and scallions on the soaked skewers. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Broil the skewers for 4 or 5 minutes then turn using tongs, and cook for another 4 minutes or so until nicely browned and cooked through. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds if using and serve with toothpicks or skewers for spearing.

One Pot Kofta and Potato Stew

Tonight I ventured into new territory. A dish I had never eaten, never made, and honestly wasn’t quite sure what to expect: kofta.

According to Hungry Paprikas, kofta is a Middle Eastern dish, and traditionally there are a few more steps involved in making it. But she has turned this version into a one-pot wonder, and I am absolutely here for that. Less work, fewer dishes, and the end result was fantastic.

Basically, kofta is an elongated, highly seasoned meatball. I stumbled across this recipe while searching for “meatballs from around the world,” and I’m very glad this one caught my attention.

The beefy little football shaped meatballs simmer in a rich tomato sauce, soaking up all that goodness as they cook. It was hearty, flavorful, and completely different from the meatballs I usually make.

First kofta experience? Definitely a success. I’d happily make this one again.

One Pot Kofta and Potato Stew

Recipe from Hungry Paprikas

Serves 5

FOR THE KOFTA:

• 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 1 cup parsley
• 2 teaspoons seven spice
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, dry
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE SAUCE AND POTATOES:

• 4 yellow potatoes, peeled, small
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chicken broth, or 1 chicken cube dissolved in 2 cups water